Even as Spotify has grown into the largest subscription streaming music service in the world, all of the company’s long-term licensing deals have expired and it has struggled to negotiate new ones that will help them lower costs and become a viable business. However new reports have emerged that Spotify may be close to reaching new licensing deals after agreeing to some strict terms from the labels.
Among these are marketing guarantees, the windowing of major releases and only placing full albums on the premium paid tier of their service. Spotify may have no choice but to accept the labels’ offer otherwise their much-anticipated IPO may fall apart once and for all.
Unlike Spotify, Netflix is a subscription streaming company that is at the top of its game and isn’t worried about squabbling with its content partners. Instead, the company has been busy altering its star rating system, restoring and lost Orson Welles film and bad-mouthing movie theaters.
Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news stories including the opening of Disney’s live-action “Beauty and the Beast” sets box office records, the head of the MPAA goes M.I.A. at CinemaCon and Saturday Night Live makes plans for prime time segments.

‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ Creator Stephen Hillenburg Reveals ALS Diagnosis
https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/spongebob-squarepants-creator-stephen-hillenburg-reveals-als-diagnosis-1202007865/
Charter CEO Tom Rutledge Made $98.5 Million in 2016
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/charter-ceo-tom-rutledge-made-985-million-2016-986820
comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of March 19, 2017
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-march-19-2017-300425871.html
‘Beauty and the Beast’ Opens Strong in China With ‘Gay Moment’ Intact
https://variety.com/2017/film/asia/uncensored-beauty-and-the-beast-opens-solidly-in-china-1202010786/
‘Beauty and the Beast’ Debuts to Magical $350 Million Globally
https://variety.com/2017/film/box-office/beauty-and-the-beast-box-office-records-1202011676/
‘Beauty and the Beast’ Waltzes to Record $174.8M in U.S., $357.1M Globally
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/weekend-box-office-beauty-beast-roars-163m-thursday-986898
42nd Annual IRA Movie Awards
https://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2017/03/42nd-annual-ira-movie-awards-history-is.html
‘Power Rangers’ Breaks Ground With First Queer Big-Screen Superhero
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/power-rangers-gay-character-storyline-yellow-ranger-plot-explained-987236
China’s Oriental DreamWorks Looks Set to Restructure